London Town is Burning Down:

Yob Rule  or Austerity Measures?

In the United Kingdom Children grow up singing nursery rhymes, “London Bridge is Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down!   Well! London Bridge is still intact, but London is in turmoil and so is the financial market leaving FTSE 100 falling below 5000 level since August 2008 and growth which initially was set at 2.3% is now being revised downward at 1.4%.  In fact, despite all the austerity measures taken by coalition government right drastic cuts in defence, police, public programmes, increase in colleges fees and withdrawal of EMA.  EMA is educational maintenance allowance given to young people to pursue their A levels (@ 12-13 level).

Last Thursday rioting broke out with London Metropolitan Police’s mishandling of a suspected fire arms raid which resulted in shooting of Mr. Marc Duggan, a resident of Tottenham, a poverty stricken part of London. Over 500 people protested for 4-5 hours against the unlawful killing of an innocent man. The London Metropolitan Police unsuccessfully tried to justify the shooting saying that a shot was fired from a hand gun found at the crime scene.  Unfortunately, people ran out of patience since no one came out from the Police Station to meet the protestors to explain to Mr. Duggan’s family why their son was shot that combined with initial misleading statement of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) added fuel to the fire.

The IPCC has admitted it may have mistakenly given "misleading" information to journalists in the wake of the Mark Duggan shooting, it has emerged. After ballistic and forensic examination IPCC has confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest that shot was fired from the hand gun. Rather it said that two shots were fired by a police officer, one of them killing Mr Duggan and other bullet went through his right arm hitting the police speaker. In any event, IPCC statement came too late in the day.

Surprisingly, a peaceful protest was hijacked by inner city gangs, victims of police ‘stop and Search’, unemployed youth, and other poor people from all sections of society. Within a few hours London turned into an inferno as violence erupted in other parts of London: Ealing, Clapham, Islington, Enfield, Oxford Circus, Denmark Hill, Brixton, Walthomstow, Denmark Hill, Hackney, Peckham, Lewisham, Woolwich, Eltham and then to Croydon, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, etc. No one expected that complacency of MET would lead to worst nightmare in the history of United Kingdom with nearly 1,600 people arrested (1061 in London alone) and over 796 charged with arson, looting and criminal disorder. Among those arrested ranges from 11-50 years old boys and girls (both black and white of which only 17% below the age of 25) including a grammar school girl, teaching assistant, Youth Olympic Ambassador, 17 year Ballerina (millionaire’s daughter), army recruit, lifeguard, hairdresser, postman, etc.

Media tend to give an impression as if this was violence of black (African) against black (Asian), particularly in the context of riots in Birmingham. However this is not true, if look at the reality on the ground (see: people appeared in the Court).  Of course, there weer sporadic  incidents where some successful Asia business owners came out on the streets putting their children's lives at risk by act as vigilantes.Some of these who kicked out from Africa in 1980s consider themselves white and display hostility.

Tired and Nervous Police

For three days rioters fought with cops, looted shops and major stores, like  Dobenheim, and burnt cars and set alight many stores including a Sony warehouse and a 150 year old furniture store in Croydon as police watched. A game of cat and mouse chase with police brought London to complete halt overpowering 6,000 police presence. In Croydon, a massive blaze spread to nearby properties and a woman was trapped in a first floor flat above a shop. She had no way out, but to leap for her life from blazing flat. After safe leap she ran off unhurt. The Rioters skilfully used the technology and social net working in overpowering the police. Gang members were no dumb, they use the mobile phone’s private messaging service – known as BBM – because police can’t monitor it, unlike normal text messages and social networking sites Twitter and Facebook. The BBMs connect users via their private Pin numbers. It was designed for business users and is ultra-secure. One message yesterday urged rioters to link up at Lewisham DLR station. It said: “Bring your cars, vans, hammers the lot!!!” BBM is increasingly used by gangs because it allows owners to communicate with each other instantly, free and in private. Conversations can also be held between multiple gang members simultaneously in “group chat” sessions. The intensity of rioting forced police to surrender the streets of London.

In view of police complacency, in Birmingham a group of Asians came out to protect their property which resulted in reckless driving injury killing three youths. Despite call for an eye for eye and blood for blood, a father of two victims pleaded for calm after his son and two pals were mown down and killed by a car during a second night of rioting in Birmingham. Magistrates Courts sat overnights to deal with the offenders for speedy trial without the fear of sacrificing justice. Among those appeared before the Courts, Linette Livingstone, 58, said she was stunned to learn sons ICHA and MICHA LIVINGSTONE, 19, had been arrested in Brixton. She added: "They are good boys. They were just in the area but the police rounded everyone up and they're in prison. It will kill them." AARON SAMUELS, 19, shouted at the judge: "I don't even get money for housing benefit." Desperation to prosecute the offenders got to its record low when a Magistrate fined £335.22 on a 17-year-old arrested for throwing a £1 coin at a bus door is considerably worse off today.

In the wake of unprecedented civil disobedience the Govt is burning mid-night oil and the police working with their socks off with massive increase in police force gathering from others parts of the country, i.e., up to 16, 000 cops in London alone to get grip on the rioters and looters.  In fact, the seriousness of the crises can be gleaned by the fact that the Ministers including Prime-minister Cameron, London City Mayor Boris Johnson and MPs have to call off their holidays to discuss the law and order situation in a special session of parliament called on Thursday.  In the House debate, although both the coalition and opposition Labour leaders characterised violence as sheer criminality and unanimous talked tough measures against the perpetrators there were divergent views on the causes of violence. Rather than having a relook at the austerity measures, Mr Cameron blamed parental upbringing and lack of responsibility on the part of youth being the main cause of the violence.  He added that, “If you are old enough to do the crime, you should be prepared to face the punishment”, i.e., “If you do the crime then be prepared to do the time”, a slogan often directed against the corporate offenders. Being an advocate of right wing solutions Mr Cameron directed it at the young offenders.   

On the hand, some labour MPs aired their opinions against austerity measures and asked for an open enquiry into the causes of violence which Mr Cameron turned down saying a Parliamentary Select Committee (with limited scope) will look into it. Prime-Minster’s statement raised public outcry and the media has interviewed a number of people including some ‘Gang’ members, which was quite revealing.  A 16 year father of a son  told in an interview without showing any remorse, “employers failed to respond our emails and job applications”, “Govt ignored poor”, “Govt ignored UK’s youth”, “no opportunity for us”, “Govt don’t give us chance and pointed at fancy houses he said,  “except rich people”, “no one think of us”, “I needed some money”, Society let us down”, “Govt cut are affecting us and it has increased VAT”, “Govt increased our tuition fees and have withdrawn our EMA, etc., and yet no control on inflation which make them more poor.   In response, Community Secretary said, “They are talking to social workers for giving post riot justification”. 

Ironically, leaders of so-called civilised world are financing and arming rioters and hooligans in the name of protecting innocent people elsewhere at home they are characterising similar unrest as nothing more than sheer criminality. Further, the United Kingdom once considered a place for refuse or safe haven for extradited people in the name of free speech, has reached the highest stage of desperation when Mr. Cameron called for banning on social media net working.  A row erupted between the police and the politicians Mr Cameron blaming the police for tactical mistakes for 3 days and attempted to take credit for subsequent action of the police by putting larger number of police force on the street.  On the other hand, the Police Chief Mr Hugh Orde defended his force that their action was robust and said that large numbers of force was mobilised even before Mr Cameron returned from his holidays.  Of course, subsequent threat of water cannon and rubber bullets may have played some part in calming down the situation. However, ongoing presence of massive police force on the streets shows that, “all is not over”.  The issue of unlawful killing has been overshadowed but not forgotten.  

It is a forewarning to champions of Neo-liberal polices through globalisation which rendered markets highly sensitive to global crises which does not seem be ending as there are already signs of double dip recession.